, 1887-12-08
Limitation of Territoial Legislation.

q.
An act to promblt the passage OF
local or special laws IN the terri
tories Of Ihe | mted States, to Inn
It territorial Indebtedness, and Tor
other purposes
be 1t enacted 10y iLe senate ana
house OF representatives OF the
United States OF America ID congress.
assembled, lhai NE IGSi9ial "ie9 "i
the territories Of the | United states
now or hereafter to be Organized
shall not pass local OF special laws IN
any Of the following enumerated
cases that Is to say:
Granting divorces,
Changing the names Of persons or
place.
Laying out, opening, altering, ana
working roads or highways
Nacating roads, town plats, streets.
alleys and public grounds
Locating or changing county seats.
Regulating county and township
affairs.
Regulating the practice Of courts
of justice.
heSuIallhS the JuIIS"hc'4oH %u0I
duties of justices of the peace, police
magistrates, and constab!es-
Providing fer changes OF venue in
civil and criminal cases,
incorporating cities, towns, or VII
lagos, OF changing or amending the
charter OF any town, city or village.
For the punishment of crimes OF
misdemeanOrs.
Nor the assessment and collection
of taxes for territorial, county, town
ship, or road purposes.
SummOning and impanelIng grand
or petit jurors.
Providing for the management OF
common schools.
Regulating the rate Of interest III
money.
The opening and conducting ot
any election or designating the place
of voting.
The sale or mortgage of real estate
belonging to minors or others under
disability.
The protection Of game or fish.
Chartering OF licensing ferries OF
toll bridges.
Remitting fines, penalties, or for
FIXTURES.
Creating, increasing, or decreasing
fees, percentage, or allowances oi
public officers during the term fol
which said officers are elected or ap'
pointed.
Changing the law Of descent
Granting to any corporation, as
sociation, or individual any special
or exclusive privilege, immunity, OF
franchise whatever.
In all other cases where general
law can be made applicable. no spec
ial law shall be enacted in any of the
territories of the United States by the
territorial legislatures thereof.
Sec. 2. That no territory of the
United States now or hereafter to be
organized, or any municipal or poll
teal corporation or sub division OF
any such territery, shall hereafter
make any subscription to the capita
stock of any incorporated company
or company or association having
corporate powers, OF in any manner
loan its credit to or use it fer the
benefit of any such company or asso
citation, or borrow any money for the
use of any such company or associa
ton.
SEC. 3. That no law of any terri
torial Legislature shall authorize any
debt to be contracted by or on behalt
of such territory except in the follow
ing cases: TO meet Il casual detici
in the revenues, to pay the lnteres
upon the. territorial debt. to suppress
instructions, or to provide for The
public defense, except that in add
tion to any Indebtedness created fol
such purposes, the Legislature may
authorize loan for the erection o.
penal, charitable or educational IN
stitutIons for such territory, If the
total Indebtedness of the territory !:
aot thereby made to exceed one pei
centum upon the assessed value o.
the taxable property III such territory
as shown by the last general assess
ment for taxation. And nothing IL
this act shall be construed to prohlblt
the refunding of any existing Indebt'
cdness of such territory or OF any po-
litieal or municipal corporation
county or sub division therein
Sec. 4. That no political or mum
cipal corporations, county, or othel
subdivision in any of the Territorle:
of the United States shall ever become
indebted in any manner or for any
purpose to any amount in the aggre-
gate, including existing indebtness
exceeding four per Centum on the
value Of the taxable property within
such corporation, county or sub -divis
ion, to be ascertained by the las
assessment for Territorial and coun'
ty taxes previous to the lncurring o
such indebtedness; and all bonds o.
obligations i'll excess of such amoun
given by such corporation shall b'
void: That nothing in this act con-
tanned shall be so construed as t.
effect the validity of any act of an!
Territorial Legislature heretofore
enacted, or of any obligations exist
ing or contracted hereunder, nor t.
YNTaalndn fhn IlG1InO nf hln1S nl-